Volume : 54 Issue No. : 54 Month : January, 2005 Desire and Content As long as you are consumed with the fire of desire, so long will you fail to enjoy the refreshing coolness of content. Just as light precludes darkness, so content precludes desires. Which would you rather have - Desire or Content? ----- GURUDEV CHRTRABHANU ----- SAINTS INFINITE FASTING BY MUNI MERU BHUSHAN JI CONTINUES FOR GETTING VACATION OF ILLEGAL OCCUPATION AT GIRNAR Jainsamaj Matrimonial Digambar Muni Shri Meru Bhushan Ji had taken the vow of undergoing Database indefinite fast from 25th October, 2004 for getting the illegal occupation at the fifth peak of Siddh Kshetra Girnar Ji vacated and the statue of Guru For widest matrimonial Dattatreya unlawfully installed there removed, as already reported in the choice add. your profile on November issue of Ahimsa Times. The illegal occupation at the peak still www.jainsamaj.org continues and the orders of the High Court passed on 21st December are being flouted. The saint is still continuing his fast and he has declared that if for Rs. 850/-for one year. the Government does not take necessary action in the matter, he will be Click here to submit profile forced to undergo 'Upsarg sallekhana samadhi-maran' (sitting in meditation till death) at Kunthalgiri Siddh Kshetyra in Maharashtra at 9.30 A.M. on the FORM 30th January, 2005.He will be reaching Kunthlgiri on the 21st January after his vihar from Sravan Bel Gola in Karnataka. The saint has in the mean time sent a letter to the Prime Minister once again, requesting him to intervene in the matter and get the illegal occupation removed. He has also demanded C.B.I. enquiry into the incident of beating Jain pilgrims at Girnar. TEMPLES GUJARAT HIGH COURT ORDERS REMOVAL OF DATTATREYA STATUE AT GIRNAR In a hearing on the 21st December, 2004, on a writ petition filed by Digambar Jain samaj in the Gujarat High Court about the illegal occupation of fifth peak of the Girnar Ji mountain and un-authorized installation of Dattatreya statue there, the Court having accepted the plea of installation of the Dattatreya statue in an un-authorized manner, against the prevalent rules for protected monuments, had ordered for immediately removal of the statue by the concerned party and vacation of the illegal occupation at the fifth peak. The Court, in its order, further added that if the statue was not removed by the 28th December, it would be forced to ask the authorities for its removal. The next hearing for this purpose was fixed for 28th December. This hearing, scheduled for 28th December has not been held and the Court has deferred it. This case is being represented in the Gujarat High Court by advocates, Shri Manoj Goyal, Shri D.K. Jain and Shri Harshad Prajapat. During the hearing, the Chairman of Girnar Jain Trust, Shri Raja Ramlesh, Shri Vasant Doshi, Shri Gyan Mal Shah, Shri Rishabh Kumar Jain were present amongst and others. Courtesy: Prachin Teerth Jeernodhar, October, 2004. MAHAMASTHAKABHISHEKHA OF LOAD GOMMATESHWARA WILL BE HELD IN FEBRUARY 2006 Mahamasthakabhishekha of Lord Gommateshwara will be held in February 2006. As a prelude to it WWW.JAINHERITAGECENTRES.COM will bring to light the hoary heritage of Shravanabelagola. An article series on Shravanabelagola, the religious capital of Jainism, focusing on the vast richness of the place in terms of its great history, temples, inscriptions, the Jain Mutt, the Bhattarakha tradition, the rituals observed during mahamasthakabhishekha, the views observed by the devotees will be documented in this series. A special feature will be brought every fortnight covering the Heritage of Shravanabelagola at length and thus enlightening the public and the scholars alike about it. Dr.H.A.Parshwanath The editor-in-chief of Jaina Voice will be scribing the same for the benefit of readers and viewers. The articles have been published at the link www.jainheritagecentres.com Information courtesy Nitin H. P. www.jainheritagecentres.com ANCIENT IDOLS OF TIRTHANKARS OBTAINED DURING EXCAVATION NEAR UDAIPUR Ancient idols of Bhagwan Mahavir and Bhagwan Neminath Ji were recently obtained during excavation work at village Jahajpur in Udaipur district of Rajasthan. Controversy was created when leaders of one sect laid their claim on the idols, while the other group said it belonged to them. The Police appeared on the scene and took the recovered idols in their custody. FOURTEEN RARE IDOIS STOLEN FORM PAITOPUR JAIN TEMPLE Sitapur, Jan 13 : Burglars broke open the locks of an ancient Jain temple at Paitopur and decamped with 14 rare idols worth Rs one crore, police here said today. The burglars entered the Digambar Jain Parsvanath temple last night and stole 14 idols made up of eight metals besides the jewellery adorning the deities. A case had been registered and manhunt had been launched by the police to nab the culprits. AWARDS PRAKRIT GNANABHARATHI AWARD CONFERRED TO PADMANABHA JAINI Shravanabelagola (Karnataka): The prestigious Prakrit Gnanabharathi Award sponsored by Srutakevali Education Trust - Antargata Rashtriya Prakrit Studies and Research Organisation was conferred on Padmanabha Sriverma Jaini on 20th October, 2004 at a colourful function held at Shravanabelagola. A scholar of international fame in Prakrit and Pali languages, was honoured with the award carrying a cash of rupees one lakh and a plaque. Sri N.K.Jain, the former Chief Justice of Karnataka and Sri M.Verappa Moily, the ex-chief minister of Karnataka honoured the scholar. Sri N.K.Jain mentioned that the Jains of South India are proud of the Acharyas who scripted the voice of Tirthankaras hailing from North India. Sri Verappa Moily called for the thirst of knowledge which makes one a human-being in true sense to adopt and follow human values in one's day to day life. Sri Charukeerthi Bhattarakha Swamiji also graced the occasion. He said that the translation of Jainagamas in the form of Dhavala works which are an embodiment of perfection and core of the religion will help in dispersing the knowledge to the world at large. Jain Heritage Centres News Service. JAINA TO HONOUR SHRI CHITRABHANUJI AND ACHARYA SUSHIL MUNI To begin the celebration year of JAINA's 25th Anniversary, JAINA Executive Committee has decided to award Life time achievement award to - Gurudev Shri Chitrabhanuji and late Acharya Sushil Muni at the 2005 JAINA Convention. The award will be given for their motivation and support in the formation of JAINA, for their spiritual leadership and guidance to JAINA and Jain community and for their unwavering dedication to propagation of Jainism in North America. ORRISA FILM ACTRESS REKHA JAIN FELICITATED She has gone through a phase of intense pain and trauma, but her love for acting remains undeterred. Having cheated death in an accident Rekha Jain's spirit to make a come-back to films remains undaunted. Oriya film director Hara Patnaik at a function here felicitated the Ollywood actress, who was bed-ridden for more than a year in a de capacitated state. Although she is yet to recover fully, she is confident of achieving full fitness and beginning a second innings in the life. Rekha achieved fame for her role in films like Maa Pan Kie Haba and Dharma Debata bes-ides acting in several serials and video albums. She had been honored with the Ponds Award, Chalachitra Jagat Sam-man as well as the Orissa Cine Critics Award for best actress in 2002. MRIDUALA (JAIN) GARG HONOURED WITH "VYAS SAMMAN" January: Renowned Hindi writer Mrs. Mridula Garg, born in a Jain family, has been selected for 'Vyas Samman' by K. K Birla foundation, for her novel 'Kathgulab'. Mridula has so for published six novels, nine short story selection & 3 plays. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 2.5 lakhs. Mridula Garg also appears in the book 'Vaishalik ki chhaya mein' (a collection on the writings by Jain Hindi litteratures of last century) edited by Shri Rajesh Jain & Mrs. Prabhakiran Jain.News courtesy Shri Rajesh Jain,E-Mail : [email protected] NEMICHAND JAIN HONOURED BY HINDI ACADEMY FOR 2004 Hindi Academy announced at New Delhi the name of Shri Nemi Chand Jain, famous Hindi poet, critic, writer and stage artist for the award of 'Shalaka Samman' for the year 2004 for his contribution to enrich Hindi language and Hindi literature. He is a scholar in Hindi, Bangla, Marathi, Gujarati and Urdu languages and has to his credit many poem collections and plays. The award will consist of a cash sum of Rs. 1,11,111/- and a memento. The presentation of award will be made on 5th February at FICCI auditorium by eminent littérateur, Rajendra Yadav. Smt. Sheela Dixit, Chief Minister of Delhi would be the Chief guest. News courtesy Shri Rajesh Jain,E-Mail :[email protected] CONFERENCES & EVENTS JAIN PHILOSOPHY TO BE TAUGHT IN AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS American educationists are recognizing the relevance of Jain philosophy and culture and showing keen interest in incorporating the subject in their regular educational syllabus. Universities in North America are interested to include Jain philosophy as a subject in the engineering, medicine, management and other disciplines of education. Prof. Cromwell Crawford, Chairman-Department of Religions of Hawaii University, USA and Dr. Sulekh Jain, a technocrat by profession from Houston, visited India to explore the possibilities of training American Jain scholars in India. "Ahimsa Foundation", coordinated the visit. An interactive session on Jain philosophy and culture was organised by "Ahimsa Foundation" on 3rd January, 2005 at New Delhi. The programme was presided over by Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Ex- Union Minister of Human Resource & Development and Former President of Bharatiya Janta Party. Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi dealt with the subject of Applied Jainism and expressed his satisfaction with the activities of Jain Samaj.